State reps to nominate at least one school in their area where only English is allowed to be used for communication

All the 82 state constituencies must have selected government schools where only English is used to communicate within the school compound while maintaining Bahasa Malaysia as a medium of instruction.

In stating this, Minister of Education, Science and Technological Research Dato Sri Michael Manyin Jawong said he would write to all the state assemblypersons to start the move in at least one school in their respective constituencies.

He explained that the move, which was pioneered by two primary schools in Limbang Division, is aimed at encouraging students especially those in rural areas to improve their proficiency in English.

He noted that the command of English among the young generation is now declining because they do not have the courage to learn and master the language despite it being the lingua franca for trade and commerce.

“We can implement it in Sarawak, the director of Education has agreed to it, in order to elevate the level of English among our people. This will especially benefit those from rural schools, so that the students can have a better future once they leave school. This is so that Sarawak will continue to progress and not be left behind,” he said.

Manyin, who is also Tebedu assemblyman, made these remarks at a pre-Gawai dinner jointly hosted by Dayak Bidayuh National Association (DBNA) Bung Sadong branch and Village Security and Development Committee (JKKK) of Kampung Taee at Balu Gambang Hall, Kampung Taee on Sunday.

For Tebedu constituency, he said he was looking at SK St John in Kampung Taee to implement the ‘Communicate in English Only’ programme.

“I will talk to the school’s Parents-Teachers Association. If they agree, we start this first at SK St John Taee, where only English is spoken within the school compound. Parents who come in can only communicate in English to the children and teachers in the school, but they can of course speak in Bidayuh once outside the school,” he explained.

Manyin, who has stated that proficiency of English is among his priorities as Sarawak’s first minister of education, said a large number of graduates remained unemployed as they could not get jobs in the private sector due to poor command of English.

He strongly believed this worrying trend could be reversed by making the present generation more proficient in English.

On a related matter, Manyin said he would seek to cultivate greater interest among current students in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects.

He explained this is to get more students enrolled in science stream classes in order to produce more skilled manpower needed by the industries in the country.

For the coming Gawai celebration, he hoped the Bidayuh community will promote traditional snacks such as pangkang, sikipeng, sangon and pinyaram as many open houses tend to serve snacks bought from supermarkets, which do not give authentic feel to the Gawai celebration.

Manyin was later presented with a surprise birthday cake in conjunction with his 72nd birthday which fell recently.

Among others present were Bukit Semuja assemblyman John Ilus, political secretary to the chief minister John David Nyauh, DBNA Bung Sadong branch chairman Nicholas Amin, DBNA vice president Charlie Ungang and Kuching Deputy Resident Tuah Suni.

Source:
courtesy of THE BORNEO POST

by Samuel Aubrey

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